2026 data College Scorecard official source

Affordable Alternatives to New Jersey Institute of Technology

Open-data reference.

We found 15 schools structurally similar to New Jersey Institute of Technology that cost less. 4 offer comparable or better earnings outcomes.

Your School

New Jersey Institute of Technology

Newark, New Jersey · Public

$16,504
Net Price
$84,276
Median Earnings (10yr)
65.1%
Acceptance Rate
72.9%
Graduation Rate

What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Alternatives to New Jersey Institute of Technology

New Jersey Institute of Technology posts an average net price of $16,504 after grants and scholarships, the IPEDS-derived figure used to anchor this alternatives search. We screened institutions in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System for colleges that report a lower net price and share structural similarity with New Jersey Institute of Technology across six dimensions — ownership sector, Carnegie classification, undergraduate enrollment, admission rate, graduate earnings, and completion rate. 15 institutions cleared a 40-percent similarity threshold.

The maximum possible savings across this list is $5,637, achieved by Farmingdale State College at $10,867. Of greater interest to ROI-focused applicants: 4 of the 15 alternatives also report median 10-year earnings at or above New Jersey Institute of Technology’s $84,276, meaning lower cost is not paired with lower earnings. The mean median-earnings figure across alternatives is $81,423.

The similarity scoring treats enrollment size, Carnegie classification, and ownership sector as high-weight features because those structural attributes correlate most strongly with student experience and post-graduation outcomes in the College Scorecard literature. Admission rate and graduation rate enter as secondary features, while net price drives the cost-ranking that determines which institutions appear. Net price is an IPEDS-reported figure calculated as the average cost of attendance minus institutional and federal grants for first-time, full-time undergraduates receiving Title IV aid — so it already accounts for the aid a typical admitted student would receive. That makes it a more honest cost comparison than sticker-price tuition alone.

Similar Schools That Cost Less

15
Alternatives Found
$5,637
Max Savings
4
Better Value Options
67%
Best Match

Top 5 alternatives by 10-yr earnings

Top 5 alternatives by 10-yr earnings Horizontal bar chart of the top 5 items by value (USD). Top 5 alternatives by 10-yr earnings Top 5 1. University of Maryland-Balti $70k 2. University of California-San $85k 3. University of Michigan-Ann A $84k 4. University of Maryland-Colle $83k 5. University of California-Los $83k Compared to New Jersey Institute of Technology: $84k.

Source: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard Institution-level earnings + cost-of-attendance file · 2024 (latest release) Median 10-year earnings reflect federal-aid recipients only; net price reflects sticker price minus average grants/scholarships.

School Net Price Savings Earnings (10yr) Graduation Similarity
University of Maryland-Baltimore County
Baltimore, MD · Public
$16,467 -$37 $69,960 70.3% 67%
University of California-San Diego
La Jolla, CA · Public Better Value
$12,470 -$4,034 $84,943 86.8% 59%
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI · Public
$13,138 -$3,366 $83,648 93.2% 59%
University of Maryland-College Park
College Park, MD · Public
$15,678 -$826 $82,860 88.6% 58%
University of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA · Public
$12,548 -$3,956 $82,511 92.6% 58%
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL · Public
$14,355 -$2,149 $81,054 85.0% 56%
University of California-Davis
Davis, CA · Public
$14,741 -$1,763 $80,838 85.4% 56%
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, CA · Public
$14,251 -$2,253 $80,735 86.4% 56%
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Rolla, MO · Public
$16,298 -$206 $82,957 64.0% 55%
Farmingdale State College
Farmingdale, NY · Public
$10,867 -$5,637 $69,781 54.9% 54%
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
Seattle, WA · Public
$14,091 -$2,413 $78,466 84.5% 53%
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL · Private Nonprofit Better Value
$14,860 -$1,644 $91,885 95.4% 51%
University of California-Riverside
Riverside, CA · Public
$14,304 -$2,200 $67,699 76.3% 51%
University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA · Public Better Value
$13,481 -$3,023 $92,446 92.9% 50%
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN · Private Nonprofit Better Value
$15,846 -$658 $91,565 93.1% 50%

How We Match Schools

Our similarity engine compares schools across six dimensions: institution type (Carnegie classification), ownership (public/private), enrollment size, admission selectivity, graduate earnings, and completion rates. Each dimension is weighted by its impact on student outcomes.

Only schools with a lower average net price than New Jersey Institute of Technology are shown. Schools marked "Better Value" have comparable or higher median earnings at a lower cost.

Data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median values 10 years after enrollment, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records. Net price is the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students, as reported through IPEDS.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are cheaper alternatives to New Jersey Institute of Technology?
We found 15 schools similar to New Jersey Institute of Technology that cost less. The closest match is University of Maryland-Baltimore County with 67% similarity and a net price of $16,467.
What is the ROI of attending New Jersey Institute of Technology?
New Jersey Institute of Technology has an average net price of $16,504. Graduates earn a median of $84,276 ten years after enrollment. The earnings-to-cost ratio is 5.1x.
Are there schools with better outcomes than New Jersey Institute of Technology for less money?
Yes — 4 of 15 alternatives offer comparable or higher median earnings at a lower net price. University of California-San Diego costs $12,470 (saving $4,034) with median earnings of $84,943.
What is the cheapest alternative to New Jersey Institute of Technology?
The most affordable similar school is Farmingdale State College at $10,867, saving $5,637 compared to New Jersey Institute of Technology. It has a 54% similarity score.
How do alternative schools' earnings compare?
The 15 alternatives have an average median earnings of $81,423 compared to New Jersey Institute of Technology's $84,276. While alternatives cost less, their average earnings are also lower. Individual results vary — check the comparison table above.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.